REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY (DR.) ABUBAKAR BUKOLA SARAKI, C.O.N, PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, AT THE STRATEGIC RETREAT ON TACKLING THE PROGRESS OF ANTI-CORRUPTION BILLS IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, HELD AT BON HOTEL STRATTON, ASOKORO, ABUJA, ON 28TH NOVEMBER, 2017
PROTOCOL.
1.It is my pleasure to be part of this Strategic Retreat for Members of relevant Committees of the National Assembly on the Progress of Anti-Corruption Bills pending before the National Assembly. This Retreat is even more important now, because of the peculiar position of Nigeria today in the global anti-corruption tapestry.
2.The commitment of His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari towards curtailing the incidences of corruption in our national life is not in doubt. The 8th National Assembly, in providing legislative synergy, made anti-corruption one of the pillars or charters of service and incorporated it in the Agenda of both Houses. Every bill that has come before the National Assembly that has the purpose of contributing towards the anti-corruption drive, has received expeditious attention.
3.The first two bills were the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill, the latter being intended to repeal the 2011 Money Laundering Act. It pleases me to note that the Mutual Assistance Bill has been passed by the Senate. However, important stakeholders raised very serious constitutional issues with the Money Laundering Prevention Bill; and a suggestion was made to the Executive, to iron out those areas of concern, for further legislative action of the Senate. That is the only reason why the bill is still pending.
4.The Proceeds of Crime Bill has received substantial attention and consideration by the Senate. It is all but passed. You will recall that only last week, on the 16th of November 2017, the Senate considered the POCA Bill up to Clause 165, but recommitted Clause 163, which is the Interpretation Section, for further legal scrutiny as concerns were raised about the definitions of some of the provisions as being in conflict with the Constitution. The Committee was asked to fine-tune those areas in order to pass a law that will stand all legal and judicial scrutiny.
5.The Senate, in record time, passed the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Agency Bill sponsored by Senator Utazi, following the international embarrassment that followed the suspension of Nigeria from the global Financial Intelligence Units. For a country that has suffered immeasurably from acts of corruption, that suspension was quite a blow. The Senate moved fast to pass the Bill, to forestall the threat of expulsion by January 2018 if some regulatory and legal framework were not put in place.
6.The Whistle Blowers Protection Bill, which the Senate has passed, is intended to engender a culture that makes for greater freedom to expose corruption, and guarantee the rights of citizens who speak out against corruption.
7.I understand that the House of Representatives is at various stages of passage of these important, Anti-Corruption bills. Hopefully, when all the loose ends are tied, we should be able to harmonise the positions of both Houses and roll out these bills for the President’s assent.
8.This Retreat, therefore, is organised to help us appreciate the stage of each of these bills, in order for the two chambers to increase the synergy they have and be consensus ad idem.
9.In related matters, Nigeria is finding it difficult to convince other nations to return funds looted from our treasury. This is because of the other nations’ exasperation over the management of returned assets. Only recently, Mr. President inaugurated a Committee to audit all assets recovered by various government agencies. The National Assembly has been strident about the opacity shrouding the management of recovered funds, which in many cases get re-looted by the agencies that investigated and recovered them. An Ad-hoc Committee of the Senate, which is investigating some administrative infractions in the Executive, has discovered that many properties recovered from a fugitive from the law, have not been accounted for by the investigating agency. This gives the global community great concern about the commitment of Nigeria to the anti-corruption drive.
10.We must work hard to erase this global impression, because it is not a representation of who we are. The passage of these bills, which is the subject of this Retreat, will illuminate the unflinching resolve of the National Assembly towards the anti-corruption efforts of the government; and should secure international confidence in Nigeria’s handling of the tricky issues around corruption.
11.I, therefore, thank the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes for this legislative, in-house self-assessment – and hope that the outcomes of the Retreat will signal a greater determination towards a more robust co-operation, not only between the relevant Committees as between and among themselves, and between the Houses, but also between the executive and the legislature.
12.I wish all the participants fruitful deliberations.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
